Shadabul Mujib's execration against Hindus sans any factual basis

 A.H. Jaffor Ullah

Published on December 12, 2005


 

The ill-informed IT expert by the name Shad Abul (Shadabul) Mujib of Los Angeles who writes ad hominim article and posts them at a blazing speed of his PC in the Internet had ventured out to print media in Bangladesh. However, he was thrashed by a minority community leader in the 'Letters to Editor Page in Daily Star for his execration against Hindus of Bangladesh. I don't think Mr. SA Mujib had the courage to take on Mr. Sanjoy Kumar Nath who did a fine job of showing inanities in his write-up.

The Internet is deluged with write-ups many of which are just rant-ridden emotional outbursts. Our newcomer sociopolitical commentrator SA Mujib is a one-trick pony only good at lambasting poor Hindus of Bangladesh and India. Interestingly, there is a strong correlation between India bashing and Sheikh Mujib (Awami League) hating. This is reflected in SA Mujib's various write-ups strewn in myriad e-forums. Lately, he is submitting his magnum opuses to Dhaka's hungry newspaper editor, which they are publishing. One of those articles of his glorifies ultra-nationalism. Filled with patriotic fervor Mr. SA Mujib finds fault with Awami League. Like other Bangladesh Uber Alles folks he thinks India is behind all the problem our motherland presently confronts. To him, the sporadic killing in border area is being done by BSF with evil intent. He conveniently forgets the episode of BDR entering Indian terrorory and killing a whole bunch of BSF personnel in April 2000. This happened only a year or so before the election of 2001during Hasina's rule. It turned out that the BDR chief did it without the consultation of the PM. At the time when this incident took place many analysts thought that it was very unusual for a Major General of BD Army to take on Indian border guards without consulting the office of the PM. I do not remember the name of the disgruntled army general but some newspapers reported that the General joined the army after attending a madrassah. It is not a well-kept secret that Bangladesh army had been infiltrated by Jamaat-loving madrassah graduates. Perhaps there is this faint chance that the BDR killing BSF soldiers in the year 2000 was engineered by AL's foe from a foregn land that had difficulty in effacing the ignonimy of defeat in 1971 (90K + soldiers interned in India in 1972 is hard to forget!). I wondered how could SA Mujib not remember the fact that BDR entered Indian territory and killed a BSF officer on April 16, 2005. Does he have a amnesiac mind or is it that he only remembers the border episode in which BSF is the aggressor.

Border skirmishes happen and I for one tend to believe that these sideshows are often engineered by respective government to detract civilians from the main issues. These incidents will take place with regular periodicities as long as we have "soft border," which lands opportunities to the smugglers. Needless to say, the local MP and police officers routinely get their fair share from burgeoning smuggling operation. An ultra-patriot such as Mr. SA Mujib will however not factor these considerations when he analyzes the news of border skirmishes that are taking place routinely in Bangladesh.

Lately, Mr. SA Mujib is acting like a bull in a china shop. He is taking the fastest growing Vinnomot forum by the horn. He claims to know the identity of many writers (Hindus) in that forum who writes taking Muslim names. A few months ago he carpingly but naively wrote that Hindus of Bangladesh codone Hindu extremist acts in India. A serious charge, nontheless. He should be very careful about what he writes. The bullets from his loose cannon may boomerang and hurt him. A case in point is the reply from Mr. Sanjoy Kumar Nath from Chittagong. If our intrepid writer has gall, then he should write a retort in Daily Star. Not defending his good name would mean that he could not defend what he writes.

Readers, please read the reply given by Mr. SK Nath. I am also including the original write-up of Mr. SA Mujib down below where he lambasts the Hindus of Bangladesh for apparently no good reason.

 

The Daily Star Volume 5 Number 491 Wed. October 12, 2005

Letters to Editor

"Hindu extremism" Sanjoy Kumar Nath Chittagong

This is in reply to Mr. Shadabul Mujib's message (Hindu Extremism, The Daily Star, October 11) and his uninformed generalisations regarding Bangladeshi Hindus and several incorrect assertions.

Mr. Mujib claims that "not a single Bangladeshi Hindu" condemned the demolition of Babri Masjid. I would like to go on record, as former General Secretary of Dakkhin Chattogram Puja Udjapan Samity back in the early 1990s, that I sent on behalf of our organisation a press declaration (signed by over 100 local members, all Bangladeshi Hindus like myself) to the local and national newspapers protesting this heinous act in India, demanding the mosque be rebuilt and that Indian Muslims be protected by the Indian government after the riots that broke out. I can remember that there were many similar statements and petitions (e.g. from Kendriya Puja Udjapan Parishad, Hindu-Buddha-Christian Oikya Parishad etc). In front of Dhakeswari National Temple in Dhaka, led by the late Sukanta Saha, a human chain was formed demanding justice for minorities in India. Bangladeshi Hindu politicians including Mr Suranjit Sengupta of the Awami League and Mr Goyeshwar Chandra Roy of BNP had also strongly condemned the action. These are not secrets; the national newspapers all covered this. The prime minister, then also Begum Zia, went on television to say that not a single Bangladeshi Hindu was involved in the events in India, and appreciated that Bangladeshi Hindus had played a commendable role in condemning the events in India. Did Mr. Mujib not see any of this?

I do not have enough information about the BSF killings that Mr Mujib also brings up. But I can say that I personally know of at least one Hindu family who lost a son in border firing by the BSF. His name was Subrata Kundu, and he died in October 2003 after being shot on his way to his shop near the Akhaura border. Ten per cent Bangladeshis are Hindu; it is quite likely that around 10% of those killed by BSF are also Hindu. In fact the number may be higher, as in Khulna, Sylhet, Chittagong and Comilla border areas, the number of Hindus is often higher than the national average. Why is it necessary to communalise such a situation?

So, Mr. Mujib has presented gross misrepresentations that can lead to misunderstandings between the amicable Hindu and Muslim people of our country. Either he has not conducted any research, or he is intentionally trying to create divisions at a critical time in our country. Living in America, he may not be aware of how delicate a balance those of us actually living in Bangladesh are all trying to maintain in our day to day lives. Those who are sincere about building prosperity and progress for our motherland will not indulge in such intellectual crimes. Particularly during the sacred time of Ramadan and Durga Puja when the spirit of fraternity and joyousness is at its highest, this kind of misinformation must be protested.

 

The Daily Star Volume 5 Number 490 Tue. October 11, 2005

Letters to Editor

Hindu extremism

Shadabul Mujib, Los Angeles, US

When ruthless extremists kill innocent civilians in the name of Islam, Muslims around the world and in Bangladesh condemn the heinous acts in the strongest possible terms. When some ignorant social elements of Bangladesh are intolerant of other religions, majority of Bangladeshi citizens stand up in defence of the minorities. However, when Indian BSF terrorises the border areas, and kills innocent Bangladeshi nationals, Hindus around the world, and especially in Bangladesh, express no concern. They have so far remained dead silent, and extremely hesitant to criticise the state terrorism of India.

Shockingly, not a single Bangladeshi Hindu condemned the "Vishwa Hindu Parishad" (VHP), a terrorist organisation in India which instigated and mobilised one million Hindu fundamentalists on December 6, 1992 to destroy the historic Babri Mosque. Not a single Bangladeshi Hindu expressed concern on lifting the ban on VHP (ban lifted on June 21, 1995). VHP, a "JMB" type terrorist organisation, has various organisational wings. The "Bajrang Dal" is the youth militant wing of the VHP, organised in many Indian states. It operates major training camps called "Shakhas", where thousands of young men train in group activities, receive extreme religious education and learn the so called "self-defensive" arms training. VHP also has a female militant wing called "Durga Vahini" which is also governed by the same principles of "Bajrang Dal".

VHP believes in the declaration of India as a Hindu Rashtra. They are actively financing and campaigning for the implementation of a "Uniform Civil Code" and revocation of "Article 370" of the Indian constitution. It is well financed, and politically connected with BJP. VHP promotes extreme ideology and instigates violence and hatred by spreading lies such as "Muslims and Christians were Hindus in the first place, and that all citizens of Bharat are naturally Hindus."

I wonder how the moderate and tolerant Bangladeshi Hindus can remain silent about such vicious religious propaganda.

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Dr. A.H. Jaffor Ullah, a researcher and columnist, writes from Ithaca, New York.